17) New Orleans, United States had 56.13 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Absolutely disgraceful interpretation by the sheriff. How in the world could anyone think the shooter felt threatened to the point of leaving the house, pursuing the supposedly threatening figure and shooting at him four times in the middle of the night? The threat was an unarmed and helpless Alzheimer's sufferer. Where exactly was the lethal threat or the threat of serious bodily harm?

I'll tell you where. It was in the paranoid mind of the gun owner. Like so many gun owners, this guy was totally unfit and incapable of distinguishing between a real and an imagined threat. And what's even worse is the pro-gun-nut Sheriff Wilson supports him in this incident which is nothing short of manslaughter.

The founders of our country and the framers of our constitution envisioned a militia made up of every able-bodied male, able to bear arms in defense not only of the country in time of invasion or insurrection, but in defense of liberty if the source of insurrection were to become the legalized sort characterizing every despotic form of government the world has ever known. Knowing this, it’s important to realize that so-called “assault weapons” are the focus of fear among the anointed who may have other plans for our republic. It is for this reason that they seek to ban them, because this is the sole weapon classification in broad distribution among the American people that makes a meaningful resistance to arbitrary governmental actions possible.

It is for this reason that the gun-grabbing left wishes to deprive you of so-called “assault weapons,” knowing that they resemble in many respects their military cousins, minus the ability to operate in fully-automatic mode. In truth, a well-skilled group of veterans, or average citizens could hold off a similarly sized military force for some time unless heavier weapons were brought to bear against them. From the moment the ATF carried out its botched raid on the Branch Davidians at Mt. Carmel, TX, it was clear to all who watched that a superior force of government agents could be held at bay indefinitely until there was an application of larger, military class weaponry. So-called “assault weapons” have no application in defense against tanks. It was in response to this raid that the assault weapons ban of 1994 was crafted. It’s also worth noting that as much as the broad-based backlash against Hillary-care, the AWB of 1994, passed by Congress in September, was instrumental in fueling the “Republican revolution” in November that year.

What the events in Waco made plain to the elites is that armed resistance is possible, and while it would be relatively easy to contain small enclaves of resisters in compounds simply by the application of superior firepower and military equipment, putting down a wider resistance might prove difficult. On a broader scale, with a resistance across the entire population, perhaps even on the offensive rather than hunkered in bunkers awaiting the end of the world, such a resistance might well overturn a runaway government despite its advantage in heavy weapons and military equipment. This was a shock to the powers-that-were, and it posed to them a new danger that spoke to a future moment when they might face justice for treason rather than a few dozens or hundreds of isolated radicals being dealt with in swift and severe fashion.

The first paragraphs of the article were dedicated to convincing us that the so-called assault weapons are no more deadly or effective than "Grandpappy’s old-school Browning BAR." Then, inexplicably, he went into this lengthy nonsense about the government fearing them in the hands of the uprising citizenry.

Twice he mentioned "unless heavier weapons were brought to bear against them." I suppose in this guy's fevered mind, the revolution will take place under strict rules in which the government holds back on its superior weaponry. Of course, if they don't there's always the enjoyment of being martyrs for freedom like the Branch Davidians or the Waco Wackos.

Friday, November 29, 2013

In my little town about 30 miles outside of Rome there was a carnival. They were celebrating the patron saint or some political holiday, but it was just like what you have in the States. There were kiosks with ring-toss games, dart throwing, a merry-go-round, bumper cars, all the usual. I was walking through the place holding my 7-year-old boy’s hand when we looked to the left and both of us saw the shooting gallery. Alessio practically let out a yelp for joy, pulling me by the hand in that direction . . .

I considered the next move on my part. Pulling him away from the evil guns might make them even more attractive, although that seemed unlikely given the level of his enthusiasm. Now, a little background is that he’d had almost no exposure to toy guns and none at all to real guns.I never prohibited them in our house but we never bought any either. Some of his little friends have surely had them and he’s seen some on TV, although he’s not too into that, so the exposure was about as minimal as it could be. For a kid with so little experience with guns to be as excited as he was to get his hands on one, shocked me a little or more than a little.

As we approached the booth, I saw a rifle on one side and a handgun, like a 9mm on the other. They were attached to something with cables. They were both very realistic looking, as it turned out, airsoft guns with the CO-2 cartridge that shoot those yellow plastic pellets a little bigger than a BB. At least that’s what I figured they were.

Alessio unhesitatingly picked up the handgun, immediately putting his finger on the trigger. I’m laughing right now recalling my reaction. I wondered, where in the hell did he learn that from, is it innate?

I quickly took control of the gun which he had pulled back close to his chest aiming at the ceiling at about a 45 degree angle. I thought, kind-of laughing to myself at the absurdity of it, OK now is the moment to teach him some gun safety. I’m flexible, right?

I showed him how to take his finger off the trigger and extend it along the gun outside the trigger guard, and I told him never point the gun at anything but the target. I repeated those two points, released my grip on the gun and told him to go ahead.

He fired three or four shots holding the gun back almost to his chest when I said wait a minute and physically extended his arm for him. I placed his left hand on the gun to steady it and told him to continue. From there he hit the targets, soda cans they were, with almost every pellet and won a prize.

Reflecting back on it, I’ve had a few thoughts . . .

The plastic pellets actually put holes in the coke cans after enough hits. How dangerous those air soft guns are, and how realistic looking. They need to be controlled exactly like real firearms. That was one thought. The other was about my boy and how can I best teach him to not get hurt with guns in the future, and I mean get hurt in the widest possible sense. Obviously, never addressing the subject and hoping it never comes up won’t get it. We live in the real world and he’s definitely going to run into guns throughout his growing-up life.

The truth is I’m at a loss. I don’t have a clear plan on how to teach him the things he needs to know without increasing the mystique and fascination and attraction that are inherent in the using of guns. What do you think? Any ideas? I don’t necessarily want him to be a gun control enthusiast when he grows up, which is what I consider myself, but I certainly wouldn’t want him to be enthusiastic in the other direction.

New York’s SAFE Act is a bad, bad thing. It requires people to register, sell or transfer (out of state) “assault rifles” and “high capacity” magazines. Many Empire State gun and standard capacity ammunition magazine owners have complied. Many have not. So, at some point, the State’s gonna go get ‘em. People on both sides of the law enforcement divide will die and the s will hit the fan.

Funny we didn't see any bloodshed in Illinois or California where police have gone to collect guns from prohibited people. Why would we see it in New York City?We won't, that's the answer. This is more of the laughable gun-nut self-aggrandizing nonsense that we've come to expect from them. This is just more tough talk from weak insecure men who are anything but tough. They fantasize about shootouts with the oppressive government thugs who are taking their freedoms away, but practically none of them have the stomach for it. Supposedly 3% of gun owners are of this intrepid type. I think it's really more like .003%.What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

A Florida woman who claimed to be a victim of abuse, yet was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for allegedly firing a warning shot during a dispute with her then husband, was released on bond just in time for Thanksgiving.

Marissa Alexander was released Wednesday night with bond set at $200,000 and must remain under house arrest as she awaits a new trial. It took just 12 minutes for a jury to convict Alexander, a mother of three, of aggravated assault in 2012. The conviction of Alexander, who is black, sparked outrage and cries of a racial double standard in light of the exoneration of George Zimmerman, for the death of Trayvon Martin.

Alexander unsuccessfully tried to invoke Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law as the same state's attorney office and prosecution team from Duval County who unsuccessfully worked to put Zimmerman behind bars told the court that she did not act in self-defense.

Alexander was granted a new trial in September after an appellate judge ruled that jury instructions handed down during her trial were wrong. The instructions from her original trial included one that said Alexander had to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that she was acting in self-defense, and that self-defense only applied if the victim suffered an injury, which her husband had not.

I suppose the gun-rights fanatics will call this a victory, which in their warped and vindictive way I suppose it is. One person was harmed. The Controversial Colorado gun laws remain in force and the Democrats get to replace Hudak. That's what I call a pretty weak victory.

Baker County Sheriff's deputies say a 19-year-old shot his half-brother in the chest.

Authorities are still investigating the Tuesday night shooting, but say they believe it was accidental. The younger boy was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

Sheriff's spokesman Gerald Gonzalez tells The Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/18HcEcX ) that investigators will likely bring charges against the teen because he has previous felony convictions. He was arrested on several charges including possession of a fire arm by a felon.

Now that's a sure-fire way to get arrested when you shoot someone by accident - being a felon. And notice when that's the case, the negligent gun owner is charged as such. This is the only thing that distinguishes them from their lawful gun-owning counterparts.

Local news reportsA 52-year-old Winter Haven woman is charged with shooting her daughter to death when the younger woman, who was holding her 4-month-old baby, knocked on the door.

Adele Bing of 481 18th St. S.E. told police she accidentally shot her daughter, saying she "thought it was somebody else." She is charged with second-degree murder and child abuse without great bodily harm, according to Winter Haven police reports.

"How could I look my grandkids in their face and say I killed their mother?" Bing told police. "Y'all can lock me away for good."

Police said her boyfriend, James Lane, 39, was at the hospital during the incident being treated for a head wound he said he received when Adele Bing hit him with a pistol.How many times have we read stories of some good old fat white boy doing exactly this and NOT getting arrested at all? But what I don't understand is why do the gun-rights fanatics deny there's a racist element in the application of the law. Is it because they feel guilty getting away with things that others can't?

Thursday, November 28, 2013

A Mississippi man with an “enhanced” concealed carry permit was arrested over the weekend for discharging a firearm inside city limits after he accidentally hit a woman with a shell in church when his gun discharged.

Churchgoers at Pinelake Church in Rankin County were preparing for service on Sunday morning when the 9mm handgun in Joseph Edgar Ray’s pocket discharged while he was sitting down.

Flowood Police Department Lt. Ricky McMillian told the paper that the bullet lodged in the concrete floor and a woman was hit by the shell. WAPT also reported that “[f]ragments from the bullet shell grazed a woman nearby.” WJTV’s report said that the shell “barely broke skin.”

“It did hit a lady in the leg but it didn’t break her skin so the lady wasn’t hurt,” McMillian noted. “Even though it was an accident, we recognize the seriousness of the situation… Worst case scenario, is it goes off and someone dies.”

Pinelake Church Executive Pastor of Operations Rod Cadenhead pointed out in a statement that guns were not allowed on the property. In fact, a sign in front of the church says, “Carrying of a pistol or revolver is prohibited.”

Ladies — do you recognize this guy? He is volatile, possessive, moody and prone to adult temper tantrums. He plays the tough guy but reserves his ire for women, children and even pets. When you’re through with his huffing and puffing and bullying and try to leave him — he turns violent and you need to get an order of protection.

George Zimmerman is the classic domestic batterer whose brushes with the law become more frequent and extreme until he is stopped. Partners of batterers end up dead with alarming frequency. Still, the NRA unabashedly defends domestic abusers’ “rights” to remain armed while they are under orders of protection from terrified wives and girlfriends. Why? Because the right to own and carry a gun is more sacred to the gun lobby than victims of domestic violence! The NRA and other gun rights groups have “beaten back legislation mandating the surrender of firearms in domestic violence situations,” says the New York Times.

Polk deputies are investigating what appears to be the accidental shooting death of a 2-year-old child in Lakeland. Investigators say on Monday evening, 29-year-old Stephanie Nealy went to her truck to retrieve a pre-paid card, and her 2-year-old son Taj Ayesh followed her outside.
Nealy told detectives a loaded gun was in the truck and she moved it aside as she searched for the card. Nealy told detectives that at one point she was facing away from the truck, when she heard a gunshot and saw her son fall to the ground behind her. Taj was rushed to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, but he did not survive his injuries. Deputies say the investigation is ongoing.

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an accidental shooting Tuesday of a 3-year-old girl by another 3-year-old in Asheboro.

Deputies said a bullet struck the child in the arm and entered her abdominal area. She underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon at an area hospital. Deputies did not release her name or condition late Tuesday.

The sheriff’s office said a 22-caliber rifle was found unsecured in the room where the children were playing. The gun was in the corner of the room, according to the sheriff’s office, but how the child got a hold of the gun was not clear Tuesday.

The sheriff’s office did not release the names of those involved due to the ages of the children and a need to notify family members of the incident.

It was not clear Tuesday if any charges would be filed.

That home should become a gun-free zone. I can't wait to hear the gun-rights fanatics defend leaving a rifle in the same room with unsupervised 3-year-olds and tell us why the owner of that gun should not lose their gun rights.

Somehow, there are people who confess they are gun owners, who keep saying that Barack Obama is no threat to the Second Amendment.

They actually go so far as to say that he has strengthened the Second Amendment during his first term.

Short post today, first, as I have discussed before, he HAD to accept the Amendment to the Credit Card Reform bill that allowed carrying of firearms in National Parks. He had the chance to allow guns in parks on its own and he refused. That means HE WAS AGAINST THE BILL.

Then there are his Supreme Court Judges, specifically Sotomayor who lied to congress about her belief in the Second Amendment only to rule against its definition of an individual right the first time it came up.

Now, lets look at a quick rundown of where the President really stands on the issues:

• Renews support for gun control through UN Arms Trade Treaty (Nov 2012)

• Calls to renew the Assault Weapons Ban (Oct 2012)

• I believe in 2nd Amendment, but not war weapons on streets. (Oct 2012)

That is Obama’s REAL record on the issue of the Second Amendment from his time in Chicago through this past week.. Lip service saying he “believes in the 2nd Amendment” but does everything he can to marginalize and eliminate it. Voted for bans and draconian limits on purchasing. Opposed measures to protect firearm industry from frivolous lawsuits hoping to bankrupt them. Pushing a treaty that will impose gun controls from a foreign entity. And refuses to hold anyone accountable for a gun walking program that has killed Americans that was, despite his lies, begun under HIS administration to foster a public outcry for more gun control.

So if you are reading this and are a Obama supporter, that’s fine because you are free to support whosoever you choose in this country.

Just stop trying to pass off Obama like some 2nd Amendment Champion when in reality he is a gun grabbing Chicago politician who will be a gun control champion now that he doesn’t have to be re-elected anymore. If you can look at a mountain of evidence of word and deed and keep your head buried in the sand then even Obama coming to your home, ripping the gun from your hand and pistol whipping you with it because he doesn’t believe you should have it, wouldn’t be enough to get you off the kool aid.

He hates the Second Amendment and has a record fighting against it that goes back 15 years. I fear if left unchecked, his reach into the future will be much longer.

Drugs: An autopsy report found no drugs in Adam Lanza’s system. E-mail only: Nancy Lanza said Adam would communicate with her only by e-mail, although they lived in the same house. She never expressed fear of Adam or concern about her safety, the report said. Adam Lanza did a drive-by of Sandy Hook: While Nancy Lanza was away, a GPS device in the Lanza home showed that a trip was made between 2:09 p.m. and 2:32 p.m. on Dec. 13, the day before the shootings. The trip was made to and from the “Sandy Hook area” from the Lanza house and was presumable made by the shooter in his black Honda Civic, the report says. Profile of contradictions: The report says that, “in some contexts,” Adam was viewed as having “above-average intelligence,” and, in other contexts, below-average intelligence. Some people said he had been bullied, but others, including many teachers, said he wasn’t bullied.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

In one of our recent, extremely tedious discussions, I was asked what states I consider gun friendly. It was one of those fake questions designed to make the discussion as long and painful as possible, since everyone pretty much has the same understanding of which states are gun friendly and which are not.But, I though it might provide another chance to make my point. The following are the top 15 states for murder followed by the bottom fifteen. If my contention that gun availability has something to do with it is correct, you'd expect to have more gun friendly states in the first list than the second. The fact that the bottom fifteen is not comprised only of states which are not gun friendly should come as no surprise since, as Greg pointed out, most states are in fact gun friendly. And, needless to say this certainly does not disprove my claim.In the top fifteen most murderous states, all but one of them are gun friendly. In the fifteen least murderous states there are five states that are not gun friendly.Conclusion: obviously, where there are more guns there are more murders per capita, of course.1. District of Columbia 30.8 doesn't count . it's a city2. Louisiana 14.2 friendly3. Maryland 9.8 not4. Alabama 8.9 friendly5. New Mexico 8.2 friendly6. South Carolina 8.0 friendly7. Georgia 7.5 friendly7. Nevada 7.5 friendly9. Arizona 7.4 friendly10. Mississippi 7.1 friendly11. Michigan 6.7 friendly11. Arkansas 6.7 friendly13. Florida 6.6 friendly14. North Carolina 6.5 friendly14. Missouri 6.5 friendly16. Tennessee 6.4 friendlyOut of fifteen, all friendly but one.37. Connecticut 3.0 not38. Massachusetts 2.9 not39. Washington 2.7 friendly40. Minnesota 2.2 friendly40. Utah 2.2 friendly42. South Dakota 2.1 friendly43. North Dakota 1.9 friendly44. Vermont 1.9 friendly44. Oregon 1.9 friendly46. Rhode Island 1.8 not47. Hawaii 1.7 not48. Maine 1.6 friendly49. Montana 1.5 friendly50. Iowa 1.2 friendly51. New Hampshire 1.1 not

Police said a Friday night shooting on Congress Street was accidental and didn’t cause any life-threatening injuries.

Police were called to the Canterbury Apartments at 39 Congress St., around 10:30 p.m. Friday for a report of shots fired. The officers first on the scene found that a man had been shot in the hand and a woman had been shot in the upper leg, police said.

The man, a New York resident, had been taking apart a still-loaded handgun when the gun fired, the bullet going through his hand and into the woman’s leg. The woman is a resident of the apartment, police said.

Both victims were brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the man was later transported to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass., police said.

Police are still investigating and expect to press charges against the male victim, police said.

A Gadsden man cut a bullet out of his own stomach after accidentally shooting himself while playing with a gun, according to police.

The 35-year-old man told police he had been out partying at nightclubs before he and a group of others went to his home in the 200 block of North 3rd Street in east Gadsden. The man said they started talking about going to the shooting range later in the day, and he started spinning a pistol around his finger.

The gun went off and a bullet struck the man's stomach, but didn't exit through his back.

"The man told police he could feel the bullet under his skin so he took a knife and cut it out himself," Captain Bobby Jackson with Gadsden PD said.

The bus-shelter ads, part of a larger ad campaign Korwin was doing at the time for his company, also contained a large amount of small print about gun rights and Arizona's concealed-carry law. That makes sense knowing Korwin -- he always has a lot to say about firearms and related rights. His books include the hilariously titled, "After You Shoot: Your Gun's Hot, The Perp's Not, What Next?" His TrainMe website hosts advertising for affiliated gun stores and training centers.

Korwin agreed to pay $11,000 to CBS Outdoors, which manages the bus-shelter ads for Phoenix. The ads went up on October 12.

One week later, city of Phoenix officials decided they didn't meet a city requirement that such ads provide "adequate notice" of a commercial transaction. Overnight, the ads disappeared.

Alan Korwin

Korwin sued in Maricopa County Superior Court, represented by Clint Bolick and the Goldwater Institute. They lost, and the case has been wending its way through the Arizona Court of Appeals since late last year. The two sides will square off in court at 9:30 a.m. on December 3, court records show, with 20 minutes each of oral arguments.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona filed anamicus curiae brief in the case on behalf of Korwin, noting that the Arizona Constitution provides an even greater free-speech protection than the First Amendment.

On its face, the city standard requiring notice of a commercial transaction for bus-shelter ads sounds clear enough. Courts in other states have held that cities can make such restrictions.

The problem is that the requirement is used not to provide a standard, but as a tool that allows the city to reject any ad, for any reason it wants. The city must merely claim the ad doesn't meet the standard -- it's not required to prove it doesn't meet it.

Gun legislation approved last week by the Ohio House is more than just a "stand your ground" bill, area lawmakers say.

"It's been tagged with the label, 'Stand Your Ground Law,' but that's only one component," said state Rep. Al Landis, R-Dover. "There are so many other moving parts — it strengthens the criminal background check in Ohio. If it passes, all applicants also will go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

"Ohio also would recognize Carrying Concealed Weapons permits from outside of our state, if they recognize Ohio's CCW. That's an important part of the bill. Currently, that has to be a

negotiated, written agreement with other states individually."

The legislation passed the Ohio House on a 62-27 vote Wednesday and now heads to the Senate. Among changes, it would:

n Eliminate the requirement that a person reside in Ohio to receive or renew a concealed handgun license;

n Eliminate the current 12-hour training requirement, substituting a minimum of four training hours in the safe handling and use of a firearm;

n Waive certain concealed-carry license renewal requirements for members of the armed forces, Peace Corps or foreign service while on active duty and for six months afterward.

But a provision that expands the list of circumstances under which people can use force without the duty to retreat first attracted the most attention — and protests as the measure was being debated in the House.

Earlier this month, I received a Facebook message from a concerned Evanston citizen, who told me that the 2-year-old classroom at The Child Care Center of Evanston, 1840 Asbury Ave., has an area devoted to gun play.

“A teacher in this classroom reached out to me as another early childhood educator in Evanston, for my opinion. She is appalled, as are most of the staff at the Child Care Center. The Executive Director Lindsay Percival, however, has sanctioned this area in the classroom. This school has a long history with the African American community, Dajae Coleman was a former student. The # of subsidized families here is 70% of the total enrollment. The board is unaware of this and last I heard, parents had not been notified,” this citizen wrote. “I am shocked and saddened that this is happening to a classroom in our community. If my children still attended here, I would be pulling them out immediately.”

I contacted executive director Lindsay Percival to get her opinion on the matter. As we played phone tag, I took to Facebook and posted this question:

What are your thoughts about having a dedicated gun-play area in a 2-year-old classroom?Click here to read over 40 Facebook replies within a few hours.It's clearly a complicated issue and I believe we need to make an age-appropriate curriculum a priority for every educational setting to equip teachers and their caregivers meaningful strategies to address guns and violence. When a child points a gun fashioned from a Lego when trying to understand his world, what should a teacher say to the child and to the class? If a shooting hits the news, what are the opportunities for dialogue that teachers can raise? Our children are exposed to guns. They are curious. What should we be telling them?

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The Philadelphia City Council last week unanimously approved an ordinance banning residents from manufacturing 3-D printed guns.

While guns manufactured from 3-D printers do not pose a significant threat to public safety, mainly because (a) they’re cost prohibitive, one has to first purchase a 3-D printer which will run no less than $1,500, and then buy materials to make one and (b) they’re fragile, the average lifespan of a 3-D printed gun is only a handful of rounds, the council felt it necessary to get ahead of the curve, so to speak.

‘It’s all pre-emptive,’ a spokesman for councilman Kenyatta Johnson, who sponsored the ordinance, toldPhilly Magazine. ‘It’s just based upon Internet stuff out there.’

By “Internet stuff” one can assume he is referring to “The Liberator,” the 3-D printable gun that was designed by Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed, a nonprofit, pro-Second Amendment civil liberty group based in Texas.

The Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office has been working quietly on a program to keep guns out of the hands of felons and other offenders.

Operation Street Sweeper, spearheaded by the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office, has checked up on at least 48 suspects since February, according to District Attorney Bob Lee.

Investigators in the project have tried to prevent violent crime by checking on three groups of people with gun restrictions: felons, domestic violence offenders and people with mental health problems.

"We wanted to do something a little more proactive," said Lee, who first spoke publicly about the project at an Aptos Chamber of Commerce meeting.

"A lot of these people don't have guns any more. We just make sure they're not violating the law," said Lee.